The present invention relates to a waterproof waterbed frame safety cover, and in particular, to a waterbed frame safety cover of improved construction which will hold the water contents of a waterbed mattress supported on the waterbed frame should the mattress leak.
It is well known that one of the major problems with waterbed installation is the danger of a water leak. The problem has become so publicized that many apartment building owners will not allow waterbeds above the first floor. Waterbed mattresses are usually well constructed and in most situations do not leak unless abused. On those rare occasions when a waterbed mattress does leak, it behooves a person who uses a waterbed to have some protective means for containing the water.
With the advent of waterbeds a new type of frame structure was developed to support a water-filled mattress. Generally, the most commonly used structure includes some type of platform or pedestal which supports a decking board. The decking board is surrounded by an upstanding frame structure that includes rails. A water-filled mattress is supported within the frame structure.
Another type waterbed frame structure is disclosed in my copending application titled "Waterbed Assembly" which has peripheral inclined walls and a recessed contoured foam mattress surface forming a cavity. The exterior of the frame is protected against water leaks by an outside cover and a liner. A water-filled mattress is positioned within the peripheral inclined walls of the frame construction. The peripheral inclined walls are adhesively secured to the peripheral top surface edge of a decking panel thereby forming a cavity or recess in which a plurality of foamed plastic mattress pads are also adhesively secured to the decking panel. The mattress pads have raised shelf areas where one of the shelves is to support a person's head and the other shelf is to support another person's head and where both shelves are slightly higher than the mattress pad or pads.
The waterbed frame is protected against waterbed leaks by an outside lower cover of waterproof vinyl plastic which is stretched over the decking panel and partially over the upstanding peripheral rails. An outside liner, made of a waterproof vinyl plastic, or the like, is stretched over the rails of the foamed plastic frame to overlap the upper edge of the outside lower cover, to form in cooperation with the lower cover a waterproof covering completely surrounding the foamed plastic mattress pads, the foamed plastic frame and the decking panel.
A water-filled mattress protected by a safety liner is placed in the cavity formed in the waterbed frame. The waterbed mattress safety liner which is the subject of my pending application Ser. No. 865,931, filed Dec. 30, 1977, has a top sheet and a bottom sheet joined by side walls. The top wall has a longitudinal opening which is closed by a zipper arrangement. The safety liner is made of a waterproof vinyl plastic and all seams are double welded to protect against possible leaks.
Kuss, U.S. Pat. No. 3,761,974, discloses a waterbed construction which includes a waterbed liner of a waterproof vinyl which fits between a waterbed mattress and a frame. The liner drapes down the interior walls of the frame and covers the decking board to contain possible water leaks. This type of liner is adequate for the box-like frame shown in the Kuss patent; however it does not provide protection should the liner tear. Also, the liner is not constructed to seal the interior and exterior of a contoured frame such as the frame disclosed in my copending application mentioned above.
Another waterbed frame which includes a platform or decking board surrounded by vertical walls forming a cavity for a waterbed mattress and vinyl liner which fits between the frame cavity and waterbed mattress, is shown in Tinnel, U.S. Pat. No. 4,015,299.
Labianco, U.S. Pat. No. 3,840,921, and Alsbury et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,742,531, disclose waterbed constructions of molded foam plastic having inclined vertical peripheral walls and a recessed surface forming a cavity where the frame is covered by a vinyl cover. Labianco shows a cover which fits between the water-filled mattress and the frame and attaches to the bottom of the decking board. Alsbury et al show a waterproof cover which seals the waterbed mattress and frame together as a unit. Any water leaking out of the mattress which spills over the perimeter of the frame is contained within the cover.
While the prior constructions have met with success, they have not solved the problem of providing a waterproof cover which will contain the water from a waterbed mattress used with a contoured frame. The present invention provides a waterproof cover which completely seals the frame and conforms to the contoured structure of the frame. Should the mattress leak the cover of the present invention will contain the water even if a leak develops in the contoured area of the cover. No other waterproof cover has been constructed to provide two such margins of safety.